HealthSource director: More sign-ups than expected

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — The head of RhodeIsland's health insurance marketplace says more individuals and small business have signed up for coverage under the federal health care overhaul than she expected.

Director Christine Ferguson said at a Senate briefing Wednesday that close to 2,000 have signed up through HealthSource RI during its first two weeks.

She says 7,000 accounts have been created. There have been 9,000 calls to the customer service center, 550 walk-ins and more than 53,000 unique website visits.

Ferguson has not publicly released an enrollment target for Jan. 1, when most Americans will be required to have coverage.

Ferguson says HealthSource RI has had "relatively few" glitches compared with the rest of the country. The rollout of the federally-run marketplaces has been plagued with technology problems.